


The Night We Met

by nonsequitur_naartjie



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Anthropology, BAMF Amanda Grayson, BAMF Nyota Uhura, BAMF T’Pring, But in a sexy way!, Colorblind Spock, Crack, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, First Contact, Fluff, I don’t care if it’s ooc, Idk I’ll add tags as I think of them, Multi, No unhealthy relationships over here okay?!, Not Racist Vulcan, Possessive Spock (Star Trek), Sarek is a GOOD parent, Sexy Language Barrier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:47:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29407161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonsequitur_naartjie/pseuds/nonsequitur_naartjie
Summary: At 28 years old, S’Chn T’Gai Spock is the pride of the House of Surak as well as the VSA. He has even become something of a superstar across Vulcan and throughout the United Federation of Planets. People talk about him in the hallways of the Shi’Kahr campus of Starfleet; whispering about the gorgeous Commander with tunnel vision. What’s he waiting for? They say every time he turns down yet another potential bondmate. Sybok laughs at it all, ruffling his brother's hair. His father is exhausted by the numerous bonding proposals he receives on a daily basis. Sarek looks over his desk to a tall window overlooking the city to the desert and up into the twilight sky. He knows exactly what his son is waiting for.Or, a First Contact fic where Spock and Jim meet as children and part ways all too soon. That is until Spock crash lands on the Kirk farm 20 years later. Fluff, smut, and crack ensue. Featuring Jim’s panic cleaning, sexy language barriers, and Spock’s not so subtle procrastination in regards to fixing his ship.Also featuring the Queens themselves: T’Pring, Nyota Uhura, Winona Kirk, and S’chn T’Gai Amanda Grayson.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 19
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

“And so I communicated to him that I would never belittle myself to accommodate for his own self-importance.”

“You said this in actuality T’Pring? You are not simply relaying your personal thoughts on Stonn’s behavior?”

“Of course I did Spock,” the Vulcan woman’s insulted projection buzzed in the corner of his shuttle’s navigation station. “I have little tolerance for any trivialities. This includes men who make their insecurities another’s responsibility.” Spock suppressed a chuckle while he guided his shuttle through and around a massive gas planet’s numerous moons. He momentarily took in the familiar yet stunning sight of the swirling storms on the planet. 

“It is most fortunate then that you share a betrothal bond with myself rather than any of your suitors.” 

“The same could be said for you, fiance,” T’Pring clinked her long black nails against her teacup. The Vulcan woman shone like a desert mirage in the low sunlight of her apartment balcony. The gold-orange light shimmered on her highlighted cheekbones and in her long satin black hair. Her similarly black eyeliner was sharp enough to vivisect any who crossed her. “I heard from Minister T’Pau that the onslaught of bonding proposals has never ebbed. In fact, it is my understanding that since your return from your Rite of Tal’oth, the attention has only grown.” Spock saw T’Pring’s projection smirk in his periphery. 

“Cease gossiping with my grandmother.”

“Soon to be mine.”

“I still have several years before my Time is upon me. Yours too for that matter.” Spock shoved down a kernel of worry that Terra would not become warp capable before his Pon Farr reared its ugly head. Spock often fantasized about running away to Terra. Running to his beautiful Komihn. Spock’s hand brushed the uniform over a pendant that sat low and heavy near his heart. As a child, he had the flower Jim gave him pressed and made into a resin pendant and strung on a golden chain. He wore it everyday since. 

Spock wondered how Jim had grown. Would they recognize him? The Vulcan hoped so given the tiny glowing whisper of a bond he had nestled in the core of his mind. This was absolutely not public knowledge. The only people who knew were T’Pring, his father, his O’ko-mehk’il T’Pau, and his O’sa-mehk’il Solkar. Solkar knew because Spock had rushed home to tell his great grandfather about his Komihn the moment he returned to Vulcan. T’Pau knew even before entering his mind at his bonding ceremony to T’Pring. And for the time being, he and T’Pring shared space in eachothers’ minds until one or both of them could be bonded with their T’hy’la. A love match most desired by all Vulcans. His great grandparents shared a bond such as this. On more than one occasion he had accidentally caught the two ancient Vulcans holding hands! And in the hallway before a hearing no less!

“Speaking of bonding,” she paused for dramatic effect. Spock glanced up from under his brow at the smug woman. “Has Terra shown any progress developing warp capabilities?” His navigational display twinkled a range of orange lights beneath his hands. He looked out his front viewscreen as he passed over a red planet that resembled his own. Save for the massive green and blue circles freckling the surface. Spock itched to see the terraforming innovations the Komihn’s had created for their colonies. Such a fascinating species. Spock had published many academic pieces on his covert observations of them (much to the logical delight of his peers who received text notifications whenever his essays went public). 

“Negative,” Spock said tightly. “Our data shows they have not yet built a vehicle of any sort. However, they are conducting tests for a theoretical warp engine at a satellite research facility on a neighboring planet’s moon. Each test has so far ended in failure.”

“Clearly. Otherwise you would already be on your beloved Terra and our Bond long since broken.” 

He ignored her teasing and all-knowing gaze. “That is to say their testing has been… quiet for the past 3.748 Terran years.” 

“This worries you.”  _ Duh. _

“A Vulcan does not become so.”

“Ah.” The Vulcan woman reclined in her chair, setting down her tea cup to steeple her ring-adorned hands together. “Then enlighten me as to why you find yourself in the Sol system again?” She asked feigning confusion. His expression remained impassive but a green blush spread across his face. 

“… to place sensors that will monitor their testing and potential warp signatures.” 

“And how many will you be burdening the Sol system with? 3, 4–”

“18.” He said reluctantly, closing his eyes.

“18?!” She gasped excitedly.

“Are you planning on indoctrinating yourself in the ways of V’tosh ka’tur? You would do wonders for their movement as an overzealous priestess rather than the prattling le-mataya in my ear.” 

“Oh, Spock, you flatter me so,” she said with mocking vulnerability. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes affectionately. “And if I were this carnivorous beast then I would be an emaciated husk living off the scraps of your love life. I need sustenance, Spock. Sustenance!”

From out of his front viewport a tiny pinpoint of light grew into a blue marble and kept growing until it consumed the entirety of his vision. The planet’s massive oceans still to this day stole his breath away. The very concept of being engulfed in water was so foreign to him. Greens, blues, yellows, and whites all colliding and mixing creating a myriad of marvels. All of it so out of reach. Only temporarily, he reminded himself. Spock had arrived at Terra.

Although he had a not-time-sensitive task, he found the sight of his undeniably favorite alien planet to be too captivating. His most recent mission which took him even close to Terra was 3.629 years ago. Spock had snuck away from his ship (with the blessing of his captain) in a single passenger shuttle during leisure hours to simply sit just outside of Terran detection to observe the planet. 

He had two sticks of meditation incense with him now for the occasion so that he could center his mind in the presence of his T’hy’la. Or at least as close as he could get with the Prime Directive still in place. 

“T’Pring, I must end this call as I have reached my destination.”

“Very well. Live long and prosper, K’diwa.” 

“Peace and long life, Le-mataya.” T’Pring’s projection winked out as the call closed, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He stood from the navigation station and walked over to the domed floor-to-ceiling viewport, his hands clasped behind his back. 

He looked over the planet as it lazily spun in front of him. Standing here, parked on the edge of the Terran atmosphere, Spock felt that elastic pull aching to be relieved. To plummet down into awaiting arms. He could only wait for the day First Contact was initiated.

Junior Ambassador Gaila Vro would likely be among the team, live streaming the event. The Federation as a whole had been greatly anticipating First Contact with the Terran for nearly a century. They were a creative and adventurous race, designing technologies Federation planets nearly lusted after. Except for Vulcans of course, who did not lust in any capacity. Obviously. And that was just the rare tech that came to them through outlying means. The planet should be a treasure trove of intellectual prowess!

Spock had it planned that the moment the stream went live, he would already be wherever Jim was. Then he would make his appearance. T’Pring and Gaila both agreed the occasion warranted the right amount of drama. 

Gaila even suggested carrying a bag of his finest robes and makeup with him at all times. Spock believed that was excessive. T’Pring agreed with him but misinterpreted his meaning.  _ Appear before them as if out of thin air, disheveled and out of breath. Like you had raced across the stars to be with them the moment you could. Present to them your Tal’oth ritual blade and the pelt of a slain enemy.  _ She had said stoically. His father had told him to send a correspondence agreeing to a time and place where they could meet over a light meal. T’Pau promptly told Sarek that he was in fact boring. 

A warning notification beeped behind him. Spock turned back to the navigation station, his brow furrowed in concentration. Then another popped onto the screen. And another. Suddenly the entirety of the cabin filled with emergency lights and blaring alarms. 

“Warning,” the computer voice boomed. “Commander Spock, you are within the projected path of a field of orbital debris,” the computer intoned. His fingers flew over the displays.  _ Ponfo.  _ A massive cluster of industrial debris was traveling at high speed in his direction. 

“Computer, engage manual steering.” 

“Affirmative.” Spock threw himself down into the pilot’s chair, strapping himself in. This was going to be a rough ride. Smaller pieces sliced into the little shuttle. Followed by much larger pieces. Spock initiated a controlled thruster burn to maneuver himself out of the way of oncoming larger pieces. But not soon enough. A deafening crash concussed the ship. And another after that. Lights and sirens and the chill of space tore through the ship. Another hit and the artificial gravity was knocked out. 

Spock slammed a lever on the display panels. One last lurch away from the debris field and into the planet’s orbit. The hull bellowed as steel tore. He looked at his Terra with wide scared eyes. His Jim. His mind raced through all the scenarios he had dreamed up with his beloved. A massive piece smashed into the tail end of the ship, sending it spiraling.

His body thrashed back and forth. Equipment ripped off the walls and flooring. One such piece struck the side of his head. Pain laced through his skull and down his spine. The ship careened through the atmosphere, burning up on entry. The icy vacuum of space all at once was replaced by inferno. Spock slapped a mechanism on his chair which wrapped his body in a protective layer of energy to keep from being cooked alive. He threw on the remaining reserve thrusters to slow his descent. Barely saving him from terminal velocity. With whatever steering capabilities he had left, he maneuvered the dying ship toward a feeling. 

Grunting through his teeth, he moved the mangled controls. The ground was rapidly approaching. Green blood trickled off his brow and down his face. Consciousness would soon be lost to him. The ship plummeted toward the night-shadowed ground. With his mind, body, and ship failing him, Spock gripped the arm rests of his chair. He placed his thoughts with Jim and the little yellow flower near his heart. 

The ship struck the ground with a thundering crash. Metal sheets screamed as they peeled away. The utterly destroyed ship, after what seemed like ages, slowed and finally stopped with a splash. Spock did a mental double take. He realized he had heard the sloshing of water. Panic sluggishly filled his mind which he tampered down on. Belatedly, he realized he was upside down. 

He unfastened his harness and dropped down to the ceiling into steadily rising water. Fortunately, the shuttle was quite small so he did not have far to fall. This does not mean the experience was anymore pleasant. He groaned loudly as he tried to pick himself up off the floor (nee ceiling). As his vision cleared fractionally, Spock categorized his injuries. 

A severe concussion and whiplash. Burns covered his body ranging from 1st to 3rd degree. The many lacerations were bleeding profusely, however none were arterial and would cause a fatal amount of blood loss. The shuttle groaned and lurched as it slid into whatever body of water he had landed in. Spock windmilled to keep his balance and instantly became painfully aware of the shrapnel embedded in his skin. Most was hidden by his bloody clothing and by the dark interior of the ship. He would remove them when he found a safer location to do so. 

Spock haphazardly picked his over broken equipment. The shuttle was tipped at an incline making the effort that much harder. His head pounded. Searing pain was shooting through his neck and down his spine with every step. To say he was struggling was a vulcan understatement. He reached the hatch of the shuttle just barely. 

“Computer,” he said weakly. “Activate emergency hatch deployment. Authorization: Commander Spock.” He was met with the sound of crackling broken wiring, the groan of metal, and the sloshing of water filling the shuttle. The water was filling slowly so Spock calculated he would have ample time to remove himself from the vehicle before it posed a threat. 

He shakily pried off the covering to the emergency hatch mechanisms. Smoke, blood, and sweat clogged his nose and stung his eyes. He pulled some lever blindly. The door depressurized hissing, then ejected. In space it would have shot away from the shuttle never to be seen again. But on a planet, and in its broken state, it just fell landing with a loud metallic bang. He too then gracelessly flopped out of the vehicle. 

Using a jagged piece of wreckage, Spock hoisted his heavy body up off the ground, gritting his teeth through the pain. His mouth filled with the taste of copper and his knees trembled. The sweet blackness of a healing trance was so alluring. Spock was so tired. But there was that golden pull. Stronger now than it has ever been in 20 years. He had to see his Jim one more time. 

He limped through knee high grass towards the trees. His heavy feet stumbled over rocks and wreckage hidden in the grass. Spock’s night vision did little to aid his trek when it was so blurred from exhaustion and injury. With a gasp he slumped and fell into the underbrush of the treeline.  _ This feels familiar,  _ he thought pathetically with his face pressed into the dirt ground.

But then he felt that golden warmth grow near! So close! And he didn’t hear barking, which in itself was a massive relief. 

Spock blearily rolled his head to the side just in time to see a handheld light moving quickly toward the crash site. The figure was hidden by the cover of night but Spock knew that form. Only one being would risk their wellbeing to approach an alien vessel weaponless. His beautiful golden Jim! Oh how his heart and bond sang at just the sight of them! Part of Spock was appalled by his emotionalism but he was well past the point of caring. 20 long years he had waited. No more.

With a loud and painful grunt, Spock pushed himself into a severely compromised hunched position using a nearby tree to steady himself. That handheld light whipped to his direction landing on the shrubbery that hid him. Slowly and carefully, Jim approached stopping only a few meters away. 

“H-hello?” his Komihn said timidly. Their voice had deepened to honey richness but still kept the melody. Gripping a slim tree trunk, Spock maneuvered himself out from behind the bush. His Jim. Their eyes were the same. Save for the looks of complete and utter disbelief and shock. Spock weakly raised his ta’al. He reached into his torn and bloody uniform to pull out his pendent. He held it out in his palm for Jim. 

“Hello,” he wheezed. Jim gasped, their eyes grew impossibly wider. Spock stayed conscious long enough to see Jim begin to race towards him but his vision went black and his body crumpled. He heard Jim scream his name through the darkness.

  
  


20 years ago

The first thing that Spock noticed when he landed on his first alien planet was the lack of gravity and the thicker, more humid atmosphere. The water vapor that hung in the air clung to the desert boy, making him most uncomfortable. He tugged on his large pointed ears attempting to adjust to the pressure change. However, this in no way dampened his enthusiasm for his first excursion off-planet to the nearby pre-warp M class planet, Terra. He looked up at his father, Sarek, pinnacle of Vulcan stoicism, to see a barely contained grimace. Spock nearly smiled at the sight. 

“While the others have undoubtedly reviewed key environmental features with you—“ his father warned, “—I ask you to remain in close proximity to the ship and to be on your guard.” 

“Yes, sir,” Spock turned to his father when a thought occurred to him. “The intelligent life, the Komihn— Navigator T’Ranneha indicated there is a small number in the area. Would they react aggressively if encountered?”

“It is my belief that she spoke in such vagaries as to elicit a heightened response from you,’ his father’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “In harmless jest, I am sure.”

Spock leveled a non-glare at his father as the older Vulcan continued. “To clarify, there is a single group of four, the only Komihn for 3.267 kilometers. A family that operates the agricultural lands we are on currently. We, this research division and I, made isolated contact with the landowners approximately 7 Terran months ago. They graciously agreed to allow us to take samples of the surrounding mycelia and vegetation and to plant a probe. The very probe we are currently here retrieving. 

“I do not expect to meet them again on this mission as it is quite early in the morning and one Komihn, George Kirk, asked politely to not be woken up at any similar hour.” Spock felt a ripple of mirth through his bond with his father. He decided these Komihn sounded interesting and worthy of further study. Sarek finished expositing as they reached the bottom of the exiting ramp. With his mind more settled, Spock looked around.

The night sky on this planet resembled his own, except this planet possessed a moon dominating the sky, gently lighting the local foliage, greatly aiding Spock’s keen vision. Foliage… how alien. The starship they had arrived in was parked in a small wooded area. Deciduous trees, Spock noted on his Padd. He was encased in tall trees colored in the dim night light. A host of local wildlife made melodic burping sounds while insects sung like tiny bells. Spock found he would not dislike the sound if it all weren’t so loud. The proximity of all the plant life combined with the encroaching sounds of nocturnal creatures and the thick soupish air made the desert boy feel acutely claustrophobic. So when he saw a clearing through a small gap in the trees, he followed it. 

Through the treeline, he could see up a long rolling hill that led to a large pale green domicile with white trim. Without leaving the wood he wandered further still. He did in fact remain within earshot per his father’s instructions. He was no Sybok after all. Something nagged in his mind though. Similar to cloth catching on a raised surface. He kept turning back to look at the house like it held a secret just for him. Illogical. It was not lit from within, suggesting the inhabitants were in fact sleeping. Curious.

Spock was mentally deconstructing the local agricultural practices when an insect lazily drifted in front of the Vulcan’s face then lit up! Bioluminescence! But it flew away before he could properly decipher it so he stumbled after it. He had unknowingly wandered further away when he caught the insect in his awaiting cupped hands. It pulsed a soft pale green light from inside his fingers. It tickled.

It was at this moment that he heard a large form rustle in the underbrush. Then he heard low snarling. Spock stilled as he desperately clamped down on the rampant fear and adrenaline coursing through his body and in his ears. He could not help the familiar feeling of being hunted by the le-mataya, during his Kah-wans. The massive skeleton-like canine that stalked him through the Forge had nearly successfully killed him if it weren’t for I-Chaya. The old sehlat had stepped in to protect him almost at the cost of his own life. But I-Chaya was not here. And Spock was in alien territory. He had to think logically and for himself. 

Think Spock. Think. His options were flee, fight, or hide. T’Ranneha said this area had no large predators. This was likely a domesticated creature used to guard the property. If so, would it prefer to chase him off the property? Or to permanently incapacitate him? Or on a more sinister note:  _ temporarily _ incapacitate him for its owner to retrieve? None of it was preferable.

Spock slowly turned his head, locating the creature approximately 10 meters away. He saw a furred, snarling muzzle, black eyes, and floppy ears pulled back against its skull. It’s body even resembled a le-mataya, though smaller and furrier. It didn’t not have reflective eyes and thus its night vision could be worse than his own. Perhaps he could lose the creature in the dark if he sprinted back to the ship. 

He immediately threw that idea out when the creature began to advance slowly. Sharp, pointed teeth for cutting and tearing and Spock had every intention of not becoming acquainted with them… although it would be of great scientific note...

Spock mentally shook himself from the thought. Focus. He watched in sudden terror as the creature lowered itself and readjusted it’s posture suggesting imminent attack. The Vulcan boy was calculating his options when the creature lunged. So Spock logically hauled ass out of there. 

His feet went crashing through the underbrush. His lungs heaved the thick terran atmosphere. The creature barked wildly as it chased after him; the sound itself beating against Spock’s eardrums and possibly reaching the ship and his father, alerting them to his predicament. Spock was calculating the time until the creature overtook him (13.574 seconds) when he spotted a structure through the treeline at the base of the hill. He knew it was not inhabited based on the scans he saw of the property. He altered his course straight for the building, sprinting full force and crashing into the door before ripping it open. He slipped inside and slammed it shut behind him. 

There was no locking mechanism on the inside so he threw his body into the door to keep it shut. The creature launched itself at the door, nearly knocking him off his feet. The shock knocked through his skull, banging his teeth. Spock tasted copper in his mouth. The creature growled and barked and clawed ferociously showing no sides of tiring. Spock himself felt like his brain was moving too fast and his vision started to swim. Likely from over-oxygenation but that fact mattered little when his collapse was imminent. He looked around frantically for a place to hide only finding what he hoped was agricultural equipment. Spock was considering climbing on top of one when he heard a tiny voice cut through the din. 

It made little cooing noises and the creature went quiet and fell away from the door. In the sudden silence, Spock hypothesized that it was likely one of the locals who had come to retrieve their animal companion. His own animal companion was likely napping comfortably in his bed, tongue lolling out. Meanwhile Spock was being hunted for sport by some raging beast. 

Taking this opportunity, Spock dashed away from the door to the back of the small building to hide behind the equipment. Once hidden, he curled in on himself. He had no idea what to expect from the Komihn outside. He had little time to contemplate his fate before he heard the door creak open.

~

Jim had woken up that morning before everyone else. The sky was starting to get lighter when he toddled downstairs to fetch himself a sippy of water. He just poked around when he heard his Border Collie, Rosie start growling at the back screen door. He was not particularly afraid ‘cause Rosie was a silly doggie who barked at doors if they swung open wrong. The little golden boy padded over to the door and looked out into the early morning darkness. A couple birds had already started chirping and some fireflies were still out but other than that Jim didn't see anything wrong that Rosie could be growling at. 

But she started clawing at the door desperately so Jim got up on his tippy-toes and lifted the latch opening the door, figuring she just had to go potty real bad. She bolted off into the darkness, going straight for something past the tree line at the bottom of the hill. Jim thought this was a little bit weird so he went out onto the porch to see what was going on. He slipped his little chubby feet into his red galoshes that he had colored on and followed the direction his dog went. 

He had finally stumbled his way down the hill to the treeline, the cuffs of his pajamas wet with dew, when he heard the sound of sprinting crash through the brushes followed by Rosie barking furiously. Jim stood stock-still peering into the dark woods until he saw a shape escape the trees off to the right followed closely by Rosie. It kinda looked like a kid, he thought blithely. Which was not scary but they did have on a high-collared black dress which was definitely weird. They raced to the tractor shed and threw themselves in just before Rosie got them. Jim toddled over to the shed and called Rosie off the door. 

“Now you stop all that fussin’ right now,” he said pointing a little chubby finger. “Don’t be mean.” Rosie bounced off the door and trotted over to the small boy huffing. She jumped up onto his shoulders knocking him down and licking his face all over making him giggle. She gave him a soft puppy sneeze that Jim lovingly returned before he turned his attention back to the kid inside the shed.

The star-flecked sky was beginning to retreat, turning from sapphire to lavender. A bit of sunlight was just starting to pour over the horizon, casting the palest light onto the shed. The crickets chirped softer almost in anticipation as the little boy pulled the door open tentatively. 

“Hello?” His little voice said into the dark room. “You can come out now ya know,” he said a bit louder since he figured the kid was in the back behind a riding lawn mower. “Rosie won’t hurt ya.” The dog chuffed next to him. Jim slowly crossed the dirt floor to the back. He rounded the machinery to find a figure huddled in the shadows.

“Hi,” he said softly. The kid tilted his head up with tears in his eyes and… wow. Jim had never seen anyone prettier.

~

1.846 meters in front of Spock stood a small Komihn. The scientists told him they looked like Vulcans but he was not told they could come looking like the sun.  _ Pi’ las’hark.  _ Spock was stunned seeing a being so swathed in gold; both in skin and hair, which was fluffy and wild. This being had big, round, curious eyes that shone as they darted back and forth. The Komihn had round, pink cheeks and a soft smile that reminded Spock of the infants in his own world that had not yet learned emotional control. They appeared to be of similar development, approximately 3 or 4 years old. He held up a ta’al to greet the child which they clumsy replicated.

_ "Hello!”  _ The child greeted. _ “My name is James but everyone calls me Jim."  _ Spock didn’t understand a word. He tilted his head slightly and the child gasped loudly, their eyes widening dramatically. He figured they just saw his ears. One of the more obvious differences between them anatomically speaking. 

_ "You’re an alien!"  _ They exclaimed.  _ "Is your ship nearby? Are you lost? I can help if ya want! My mommy and daddy are super nice and maybe you could come live with us! I could show you all the really cool stuff on Earth! We could see movies and go to the beach and we could…"  _ All of it came out in a breathless rush and Spock was nearly overwhelmed, blinking wildly, before they trailed off quietly.

_ "You probably don’t speak English do ya,"  _ they suddenly looked quite sad. Spock figured they had just realized he didn’t speak their language but he found he would do anything to make that smile return. He didn’t have to wait long because the child’s expression immediately changed when they got an idea. 

_ "Do you speak Standard?!"  _ They started speaking another language from what Spock could tell from the change in syntactic pattern. _ "I guess not. What about Spanish?"  _ They tried in a third language. Then they started moving their hands in what Spock hypothesized was a type of signing language. They watched for a reaction from Spock and then sighed in defeat. Spock would have been greatly impressed by the child’s multilingual abilities if it weren’t for the emotional whiplash he was experiencing. He distinctly felt the need for meditation. But this child was captivating. 

Spock stared into those big curious eyes; so intelligent and magnetic. He wondered if the Komihn felt similarly. They slowly approached him and finally sat directly in front of Spock. It felt good being closer. Keeping eye contact, he slowly opened his legs to encompass the child without pulling him into his lap. Better. 

They held up their chubby hand attempting to replicate Spock’s earlier ta’al. He found the attempt remarkably endearing. He lifted his own right hand to demonstrate a proper Vulcan salute but they kept their eyes trained on Spock’s. The small being slowly lifted their other hand to reach for Spock’s face and he was unequivocally at ease when the golden being placed their tiny hand on his face. 

It reminded Spock of the occasional melds he shared with his father but in a way, it was almost more meaningful. This beautiful being had no need for telepathy to convey with just their eyes an impossible amount of trust, wonder, caring, and the softest, easiest affection Spock had ever known. Transfixed, he dropped his ta’al and his eyelids gently closed as the golden Komihn quietly raised their other hand to his cheek until they held the Vulcan boy’s face. Soft hazel eyes stared up into deep brown ones as Spock’s arms and legs curled around the small child until one completely encompassed the other. 

And Spock held them. He felt no qualms— no dissonance between his heart and mind when the child pulled their arms in and tucked their head under Spock’s chin and onto his chest. 

And so they sat in the simplest and best of ways— together. 

~

Some time later, the two separated. Spock realized a few things at once: (1) that his internal clock had stopped keeping time, (2) his father and the other VSA scientists were likely searching for him, and (3) he was not particularly perturbed about either of these facts. Not when he was still holding this beautiful child. The child, who has quite nearly fallen asleep in Spock’s arms. They were radiating perfect contentment and bliss and Spock was absolutely enamored. Logically speaking of course. As comfortable as he was, he thought it best to make their way back to the ship so they may begin their trek back to Vulcan to be bonded formally. 

So he gently roused the dozing child by running his hand through their golden hair. Spock found the now grumpy Komihn unreasonably cute. Yes, he would take this being back to Shi’Kahr and they would share a room and he would introduce him to I-Chaya and Sa’mekh’il Solkar and take them on hikes into the Forge. The furry companion animal huffed at Spock like it could sense his thoughts. Spock squinted at the creature in challenge. He would not forget the indignities he suffered today. 

Standing, he dusted off his robes and watched fondly as the child mirrored his actions. Spock needed to know their name. The ship had a universal translator onboard so he reasoned he would not have to wait long.

The Komihn reached for Spock’s hand as soon as he started to move away to walk towards the door. Spock flushed. He had seen his elder, albeit socially rebelliously, adolescent brother partake in… hand holding. However, the child would not have any cultural context for such a thing. Additionally, he reasoned that he himself was still a child; it could be acceptable. Yes, it was logical to attend to one’s betrothed. And Spock would be an especially attentive bondmate.

He tampered down his rising anticipation as he accepted the child’s chubby hand, fitting it snuggly into his own. A zing sparkled up his nerves climbing up to the back of his head before settling. He shivered noticeably at the sensation. The child simply tilted their head and giggled musically at him. 

_ "You’re weird. I like you."  _ Spock again did not understand anything said but a steady flow of mirth, affection, trust, and acceptance traveled through their joined hands. He couldn’t help knowing that this simple feeling was something far greater than he could anticipate. 

The sun had finally risen above the horizon when the two exited the building together with the furry beast trotting at his betrothed’s side. Looking across the land, the condensation on the grass sparkled in the early morning sun and avian creatures chirped as they soared through the air. Vulcan avians were not nearly so pleasant. It seemed all of this property and its inhabitants were pleasant. Well, maybe with one exception. He looked at the trotting creature with disdain. Spock then located his father through the trees with two scientists flanking him. 

The two parties started toward each other and Spock felt a shock of worry from his Komihn through their joined hands. When he turned to look down at the child, they shrank behind Spock, staring at the adult Vulcans. Spock looked to his father then raised his hand, signalling for them to halt their movements. Which they did respectfully. Spock turned again to the child and bent down to their eye level. 

Those beautiful hazel eyes swiveled to meet Spock’s. He sent pulses of safety and affection through their skin asking them to trust him. The Komihn raised their chin, stood straighter, and nodded. Content with this, Spock nodded in return and the continued walking. Sarek’s expression held no emotion, save for a miniscule look of curiosity. His father motioned for the two accompanying scientists to stay back. Spock was immensely grateful for this. Just then, the furry beast raced ahead of them, launching at Sarek. 

_ "Rosie, no! Not nice!" _ The child yelled, astonished. Sarek simply grabbed the creature under their forelimbs and held it out perpendicular to his body while it flopped unceremoniously. His Komihn fell into a giggling fit at the sight. Spock felt his heart warm at the sound.

“Sa-mehk, I trust the others have completed their tasks. If this is the case, we are ready to depart for Vulcan.” Sarek raised an eyebrow at that. He set the squirming creature back on the ground and placed his arms behind his back. The creature huffed and circled back around to the Komihn. 

“The away team is indeed ready for take off. However, you must clarify for me as to whether or not you intend for this child to accompany us.”

“Affirmative. It is also my intention to have the two of us bonded for betrothal.” Spock said resolutely. Sarek visibly took a deep breath. At this, Spock suddenly worried about his plans with his Komihn. 

“We cannot bring the child with us.”

“State your reasoning.”

“They are not Vulcan.”

“Insubstantial.”

“Sa-fu,” Sarek began softly. “It is unethical to remove a developing individual from their native environment without the aid and accompaniment of another of their species. Particularly an adult of which they are related.” 

“Is it not unethical to separate a bonded pair?” 

“You are not bonded.”

“Yet.” 

His Komihn’s wide eyes bounced back and forth between the two Vulcans. Sarek looked to the child assessing them. Spock felt the urge to protect them from his father’s gaze. But he was pleasantly surprised when his Komihn raised their hand in a passable ta’al and greeted his father in their own language. 

_ “Hello.” _ Spock sent the child a pulse of pride and affection which caused the child to beam up at Spock. Sarek finally looked back at his son with the slightest resigned expression. 

“Convince me of your logic,” he said. Spock raised his chin collecting all his thoughts on the matter. 

“Your primary concern is their psychological and physical development, correct?” Spock asked his father. The older Vulcan maintained an open expression, hearing his son out, so Spock continued on.  “Vulcan is outfitted with the best mind healers and physicians in the Federation. They have shown great care and expertise in the development of several immigrant and refugee species residing in Shi’Kahr. Such as my classmate Gaila Vro, an Orion, who has acclimatized so well in fact that she is top of our classes, on par with T’Pring and myself where applicable. Additionally, you yourself explained to me a variety of the similarities between Vulcans and Komihns biologically speaking.”

“Those professionals, while unparalleled in their fields, are not experienced or equipped to work with this species. This child may suffer unknown dangers simply by being in our alien environment. The only knowledge we have of them comes from surveillance as a pre-warp civilization.”

“And yet they are occupants of a territory simultaneously under Vulcan and Federation protection from rogue Romulans and Klingons long vying for the material wealth of this region.”

“Spock, I believe you are digressing.”

“I am not Sa-mehk. My Komihn could be in danger!” Sarek took note of his son’s carefully controlled expression as well as the clenched hand that was not holding the child. 

“Peace my sa-fu,” Sarek said softly. “The odds of such an event happening to this child specifically are infinitesimal as there have been only a handful of isolated events in a number of decades. We cannot remove them from their clan, intentionally inflicting unnecessary pain for our own comfort.” 

Spock lowered his gaze to the ground in front of him. “We would become their clan.” He mumbled defeatedly. 

“Spock,” his father said hesitantly before he knelt before him. “I understand that you feel for this child and I regret that we cannot bring them. However, we need to prioritize their needs as a being barely out of infancy. If it were you and I discovered you had been taken away from me, I fear I would act quite illogically to bring you home. Your presence is most essential to me as your father and I can imagine their family feels similarly.”

“Yes, father.” Spock said solemnly, his eyes burning a little. He looked at his Komihn, his beautiful golden Komihn. 

_ "We should have waffles for breakfast!" _ The child said excitedly to the Vulcan boy. 

“I will allow you a moment of privacy for farewells,” Sarek said standing. “Though we must be quick. The child must be returned before Winona Kirk awakens. I have no wish to meet the woman's wrath should she find her child missing.” Something told Spock his father had inadvertently caused mischief for this family before. Further research on the matter was necessary.

~

Jim was waiting quite patiently while the two aliens talked for what seemed like forever! He watched the tall spooky looking one stand too still. His body didn’t even make weird popping sounds when it moved like other grown-ups! Jim was pretty sure the spooky man was his new friend’s daddy. His own daddy looked at him with kind eyes too. 

The three of them began walking towards his house. Jim was nearly skipping with excitement! He was going to show his friend waffles, his toys, his space projector in his room! He would probably have to have the Dad alien meet his Mommy and Daddy. While he and the boy walked towards the farm house, Jim compared the two aliens.

They both had on similar black dresses and silly haircuts but Jim figured it probably wouldn’t seem weird to aliens. Both had jet black hair though Spooky Dad was greying at the temples and had bags under his eyes that he had never seen a parent without. They also had the same tan skin but  _ his _ alien blushed a really pretty light green. 

His whole alien was pretty; his sharp slanted eyebrows, his shiny black hair, his cool pointed bat-looking ears, his voice, his deep beautiful eyes… Jim decided then and there he was going to marry the older boy. Just like Mommy married Daddy!

Jim was already mentally categorizing which toys they were going to play with first when they reached the back porch. He opened the screen door and let Rosie go inside before them. But when he tried to pull his friend in by their joined hands but he stopped him. When Jim turned to see why, he saw the saddest eyes ever in the whole wide world. Jim did NOT like that. He hoped the Dad alien didn’t say anything mean or else he was going to tell his Mommy and she’ll beat him up. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, tugging on the pretty alien's black dress. “Don’t you wanna come inside?” He knew the boy couldn’t understand him but he could  _ feel  _ that the boy knew what he was thinking. The pretty alien didn’t say anything. He just held his hand tighter around Jim’s own. Loneliness, disappointment, and sadness trickled into his mind. 

The boy started to pull Jim in so he raised his arms to be picked up. Woah! His pretty alien was super strong! He had Jim squished against his chest with his face in his neck, just inhaling softly. It kinda made the 4 year old nervous. It felt like a goodbye hug. The alien boy must have felt his nerves spiking because he put Jim down and kneeled in front of him. He pulled a trinket from the folds of his dress-- a swirly pin. He took Jim’s hand and closed the pin in it most tenderly. 

_ “I will see you again, my little sun.” _ Jim could tell he was trying not to be sad. Jim suddenly felt so mad. Mad at Spooky Dad for taking his pretty alien away. Mad that his new friend clearly didn’t want to leave Jim. Mad that he couldn’t even ask him what the pin meant because despite the number of languages he learned in school and at home, they didn’t work for aliens! But then he noticed the boy’s eyes grow wide with worry and alarm at fat ghibli tears running down Jim’s face. 

“Oh no!” He cried hurriedly, grabbing the boy by the face, smooshing it into a surprised little o. “I’m sorry! Everything’s okay! I’m not mad at you! I’m sorry!” He tried to pour as much love as he could into the alien’s brain like what he did to Jim earlier. He loosened his hands but kept them in place as he gently placed his forehead against the other’s. “I just want us to stay together,” the boy seemed to understand this because his beautiful brown eyes melted. He then placed his own hand on Jim’s face. Fingers sliding into specific spots. Suddenly he felt zings shoot through his face into the back of his brain and settle there, fizzing like sodapop. 

Jim grabbed at the back of his own head, looking to the alien boy for an explanation. He just looked at Jim intently, with the tiniest secret smile. The first he had seen from the alien boy. Jim got the feeling that what just happened was against some kinda alien rules. But Jim wasn’t a tattle-tale. So he smiled back at the beautiful boy which then turned into giggles at the remaining sensation. His pretty alien was amazing. 

Jim leaned forward and planted the cutest kiss on the boy’s cheek who then blushed the prettiest shade of green. Oh yeah. Jim was going to marry this boy for real for real. He didn’t care how long he had to wait. Well, actually he did care about that. They would make it happen though. Jim held up his hand in the funny V shape from earlier. The boy stood slowly and held out his hand in the same way.

_ “Peace and long life. Until we meet again, Ashayam.”  _ Then he slowly turned and walked off the porch. But then Jim remembered something. 

“Wait!” The alien boy whipped around. Jim stumbled down the stairs as quick as he could on his chubby little legs. He stopped right in front of the boy and placed his hands on his own chest. “Jim.” The alien boy’s eyes widened a fraction before he did the same thing. 

“Spock.” Spock. His name was Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Jim repeated the name over and over so that he would never forget it. Jim then looked around frantically for something to give the alien to remember him by. He stopped at the sight of a yellow dandelion. Perfect. He picked it and presented it triumphantly to the boy. He took it with a gooey look on his face. Jim couldn’t help it and just wrapped his arms around the boy’s legs, squeezing tightly. The boy bent down, detached Jim from his legs, and pulled him into another perfect, savoring hug. Both boys had tears in their eyes when they finally pulled apart. 

“See ya later, alligator.” Jim said. The alien boy turned and walked the rest of the way down the hill, meeting his father at the bottom. The Spooky Dad nodded like a dumb fancy adult and walked into the woods. The pretty alien boy looked back one more time and waved… the human way… before slipping behind the treeline. The sun was completely risen and still riding low when Jim saw a small ship emerge and zip out into the unknown.

“In a while, crocodile.” Jim whispered to himself, thumbing the swirly pin. 

~

Spock had just secured himself into one of the ship’s passenger seats when his father stepped in to fill the seat next to him. Spock looked out a viewing window. That pale green house grew smaller, taking his precious Jim with it. Jim. His beautiful glowing  _ Jim. _

“You never intended to bring them aboard,” Spock’s gaze never left the spot on the ground, even after the ship broke the atmosphere turning the planet into a little blue marble. 

“Sa-fu,” he lowered his voice gently prompting Spock to look at his father. “I apologise for the harm I have inflicted on you. Know that it was not a ruse. If the child belonged to an unstable living environment, I would have allowed it. However, this is not the case and we can not in good conscience wish for the contrary. I have been an applied ethics professor and a father for many years. I ask that you trust my judgement.” Spock took a moment to look at his father. Then he nodded but said nothing in return. 

“That is not to say you will not see them again.” Spock whipped his head up to see his father give him a very secret smirk and wink. Hope bloomed in his chest and Spock became determined to make this possible future into a reality. 

And somewhere out there, a 4 year old human boy was doing the same; chasing his dreams into the stars. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay okay, how ‘bout this—” the blond scruffy man rubbed his face roughly. “—What if we increase the width of the rings by 3 meters?” He poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. Rich smelling steam curled into the air. They had hit a groove in their workflow so their 4 pm half-hour check-in turned into 4 hours of intellectual chaos. Jim’s antique advanced astrophysics textbooks and essays littered every surface in the living room where he had set up shop. 

“3 meters lad??” A Scottish accent yelled from the living room. “That’ll put quite the strain on the wee support structure that we have now. We would have to redesign the entire interior of the ship. We’d basically be starting from scratch.”

“Not necessarily. The body of the ship is already built, yeah?” A tiny bit of cream. Lots of sugar. Stir. 

“Aye?”

“We could potentially anchor the rings using maglev suspension so that we can manipulate their distance and dark energy output remotely.” Jim walked back into the living room, coffee in hand, to the hard-light work station projected between him and the stunned engineer. The pale blue light buzzed under his finger as he drew the proposed alterations on the schematic. For every equation he wrote, the computer provided the accompanying mathematics off to the side of the screen. 

“Aye, Jim that might work!”

“No need to rebuild anything, Scotty,” Jim said thoughtfully. He was so tired. “We only need a successful test. It doesn’t even need to be manned.” The blond man sighed wistfully. Scotty’s projection was too distracted interacting with the numerous screens and calculations to see a certain look come over his partner. Jim leaned against the end table next to the couch to admire the work. 

Light speed. Well, more accurately warp.  _ Almost there.  _ Jim mumbled to himself. Scotty finished and also took a step back to appraise it all. Jim set his coffee down in anticipation. The computer grabbed hold of the completed equations and animated a test simulation on the screen. It ran perfectly! The two men jumped and screamed. The Scottsman threw his arms over his head. “AGGGHHHHH!!! JIM WE DID IT!!!” The two dissolved into more yelling and incoherent excited noises. 

When they finally calmed down, Scotty took a deep stabilizing breath. “Jim, I’m going to share these in the group chat,” Scotty said gesturing to the many screens, absolutely beaming. “We need to get wee Pavel in on this!”

“Then we’ll get Professor Alcubierre and Dr. Mary Jackson to approve the designs before we can even show it to Cochrane.” 

“Aye, Sir!” He gave Jim a mock salute making Jim chuckle fondly. The blond raised his hand and closed it ending the holo-call. Scotty’s life-size projection disappeared leaving Jim alone with the numerous screens displaying his years of hard work. A working light speed vehicle would still take months to finish building but nothing could dampen his excitement. He had been working towards this for two long decades; since the moment he picked up a crayon to draw his first rocket ship. 

He tapped his foot twice on the mat he had laid out on the floor turning off the projections. He had brought his HoloMat with him from his home office in San Francisco with him to the Kirk family farm. His parents were on a work trip to one of Jupiter’s moons and needed someone to watch the house so Jim had agreed. He could work from here anyway so it didn’t really make sense to hire someone who didn’t know the property. So here he was, house-sitting his childhood home for a few months. 

Jim grabbed his coffee off the table and went outside, switching off the lights in the living room on his way. The day was cooling down as the sun slipped below the horizon. He sat down on the top step of the porch holding his warm coffee in his hand. A soft breeze caressed his face and whispered through his hair. The tree frogs sang low and sweet while the cricket choir chirped along.

While he had grown up flitting from planet to planet within their Solar system, the constellations above him remained out of reach. After meeting Spock, Jim spent years scouring star maps looking for a system with a habitable planet that was near enough that Spock’s people could have visited from in a timely manner. The problem with space is that it’s 3D. The surface of the globe is flat in the sense that when you’re looking for something, you don’t usually have to look in any direction besides what’s in front or behind you. No looking beneath your feet or in the air above your head. In space, there is no relative direction. You have everywhere and nowhere at your disposal. It’s a strange thing to find relief in a ceiling and disquiet in infinity. 

As a child, he had quickly eliminated the previously catalogued planets and came to an impasse: he would need to discover new stellar neighborhoods himself. So he started designing programs and software to help him do just that. It wasn’t until he was 14 that he made a discovery.

About 16.5 light years away was a cluster of 3 stars and one of them, 40 Eridani A (aka Keid), had a planet in the habitable zone. The scientific community already knew about this but it was Jim who studied it closer than anyone else. The patterning on the surface resembled urban and agricultural footprints. Nothing as stark as the terraforming and green habitat bubbles on Mars but it was definitely something.

So Jim called up Chris Pike, an old family friend who was a big time exec for the United Coalition of Sol, and told him about his discovery. Pike then connected him to the people over at NASA and a few weeks later Jim was being credited as the kid who discovered alien life. Which was quite poetic seeming as he had found alien life in his tractor shed 10 years earlier. 

The UCS and many governments throughout the Sol system all sent messages in the direction of this alien world but they never got anything back. Jim had expected that but he was no less disappointed. He never did find out if that planet was Spock’s. There was no way to tell. So he kept finding planets in the hopes that one day one of those worlds would say  _ Hi  _ back. 

Jim took a deep breath in to feel his lungs expand and stretch his muscles. The weather today was just like that day 20 years ago that changed his life. The same heat and sounds. The same sky with the same stars. Actually, maybe not all the same… Jim turned his head listening intensely. 

A low rumbling grew louder behind the house. It was probably just some drunken asshole joyriding along the main road. But then the rumbling got louder and louder and the house began to shake. The porch swing bounced violently and potted plants crashed to the ground. Jim shot up off the step and into the yard looking around wildly. 

The house stopped shaking just as he caught sight of a small hover car speeding at a low angle almost parallel to the ground. It crossed his entire field of view before disappearing behind a grove of trees. The booming crash shook through Jim’s body, knocking him to the ground in the blast. He picked his ass off the ground and bolted into the house. He tugged on his boots and wrench a flashlight out of a junk drawer. He ran to the door- 

“Shit! My phone!” He spun around looking for it. “Phone phone phone not my phone AHA!” He grabbed it off a stack of books and rushed out the house, the screen door bouncing behind him. He sprinted towards the crash as fast as he could. The tall grass whipped against his legs as he flew down the hill. Whoever was in that hover car was probably in rough shape, if not dead. Hopefully, he would get there before that happened. He slowed to a walk as he rounded the grove of trees and saw the wreck. 

The earth was plowed up into steep hills and the hover car itself was smashed to hell on the edge of the pond. Parts of it were strewn everywhere. He cast his light on what looked like a silver wing, which was weird. Jim furrowed his brow a bit as he neared the wreckage. It was too big for a hover car. Maybe a shipping vehicle? But why would it have gone down? Some of the pieces had weird markings on them. They kinda reminded him of his alien pin… No. No, it can’t be…

Something grunted far off to his left in the trees. Jim spun to face the sound, pointing his flashlight where he thought he heard it. His heart thundered in his ears and sweat slid down his face. He cocked his head, listening hard as he could. All he could hear was the rushing of blood in his ears and the small fires of the wreckage crackling. A shape moved behind the bush his flashlight was trained on. 

“H-hello?”  _ Great Jim. This person could be dying and your voice is cracking like a 13 year old. _ He scolded himself. The figure moved again. Jim held his breath as a figure stood up and hobbled around the bush. A man walked around gripping a small tree like his life depended on it. He was tall and dressed in the tattered remains of what looked like a uniform of some kind. He had a jet black bowl cut that was now dripping what he knew was likely blood. Wait.. No, it couldn’t be—

But then the figure looked up at him. Jim’s jaw went slack. That was HIS beautiful alien. Covered in dirt and blood and torn clothes and all he could do was stare. His eyes grew wide as the alien raised his hand in that V shape he remembered from all those years ago.  _ Oh god, this is real oh god oh god.  _

Then the alien reached into his ragged jacket and pulled out a necklace, holding out a pendant. A little pressed yellow flower. A dandelion. “Hello,” the alien’s exhausted voice wheezed.

Spock.

His Spock. He’s here. He’s here! Spock was here and he just crash-landed his ship into Jim’s backyard and he’s hot now and he’s got big brown eyes and he’s covered in blood and god, Jim’s waited years for him and Jim was supposed to find him first and he’s here! Jim was still spiraling when Spock started listing then crumpled to the ground.

“SPOCK!” Jim shot forward getting there just in time to keep his head from hitting the ground. Cradling his head, Jim looked over the alien’s body. Nothing was jutting out from his torso so that good he guessed. He needed to get him back to the house. They had a washroom in the garage he could bring Spock to. Look over his wounds in better lighting. He wrapped his arm under Spock’s arms and wedged the other under the alien’s knees. He could hear his old man in the back of his head  _ lift with your legs Jimbo!  _ The blond attempted just that and lifted before quickly realizing the alien might as well be bolted to the ground. He was doing to rupture something if he tried that shit again. Jim looked back up the hill to the house at the top.  _ Fuck, this is going to be a bitch. _

*Batman Scene Transition!*

Jim placed Spock in the garage utility shower as gently as he could. How he got all 500 something pounds of grown ass limp alien into the house was a feat to be witnessed. You really would have had to have been there. 

Jim settled Spock down in the corner of the tiled wash area. In the light Jim saw that his blood was green! Holy fuck that’s cool!!  _ But now’s not the time to nerd out Jimbo _ , he heard the voice Bones in his head. 

Okay. Okay.  _ Shit. _ Uh.. Medkit! Jim whipped around to the work table behind him and pulled the medkit out of a cabinet. Bones always made sure this thing was stocked with everything he needed. Jim rifled through it and grabbed his scanner before turning back to Spock who was laid out in the corner like a college freshman at their first Greek night, limbs everywhere at the oddest angles covered in weird fluids which is why Jim needed to FOCUS OH MY GOD.

He crouched next to the alien and started scanning. The scanner started making beeping noises which Jim translated to mean “What the fuck is this thing cause it sure as shit ain’t human!!!” Okay, so that wasn’t going to work. Jim took a deep breath to calm himself.

Spock didn’t have anything huge sticking out of his body and he wasn’t losing a lot of blood from the wounds Jim could see. Okay, so now he needed to make sure Spock didn’t have any internal injuries or anything like that. Which was going to be difficult, seeming as Spock wasn’t conscious to exhibit a lot of the common symptoms and Jim wasn’t medically trained AND lacked medical equipment for god damn aliens. At least Spock hadn’t vomited so maybe that’s a good sign?

At that moment, a holocall rang through the house speakers. “Holocall from Bone Daddy McCoy,” the computer voice announced.  _ Oh no. _

“Open in garage,” Jim grimaced. The screen above the work bench flashed to life showing Bones laid back on the couch in their San Francisco apartment with some kind of dark alcohol. Jim side stepped into Bones’s line of sight so he couldn’t see Spock. 

“First, tell me you’re not dying,” he said by way of greeting.

“I’m not dying.”

“Good boy.”

“God, you know I love it when you praise me,” Jim slid his hands down his torso jokingly.

“Cut the horse shit, Jim. Now you’re gonna tell me why I just got a really confusing notification from your medscanner,” Bones said in a misleading calm. “If I find out you’ve been missing with your scanner…” he trailed off, not needing to finish his sentence.

“Do you remember the alien boy I told you about from when I was a kid?”

“Ya mean the gateway drug that got you into monster fuckin’? Yeah, I remember. What about ‘em?” 

Jim just stared at Bones who stared back in a silent battle of will power. 

“No,” the man said defiantly. “I swear on everything holy—“ Jim stepped aside revealing Spock. Bones jumped off the sofa like a trick dolphin.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!”

“WHY DO YOU ASSUME I DID SOMETHING?!”

“BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS DO!!!”

“NOT THIS TIME! I SAVED HIM!!”

“COULDA FOOLED ME! HE LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE HARVESTIN’ HIS ORGANS FOR SUNDAY DINNER!!! GO GET THE GODDAMN SCANNER. I’M OPERATING IT REMOTELY AND YOU’RE GONNA HOLD IT LIKE THE GODDAMN TOOL YOU ARE!!”

“Ididntevendoanything. Alwaysyellinatme—“

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” 

“Damn right it’s ‘nothing’. I’m doin’ you a favor by not letting your alien boy friend die. Now bring me over to ‘em.” Jim reduced the screen on the wall with the pinch of his fingers and dragged it to the adjacent wall so Bones was now opposite Spock’s limp body and much closer. 

“You’re going to need to take his pants off,” he said clinically.

“That was the plan.”

“One more word outta you and I’ll let him bleed out.” Jim wisely zipped his lips and occupied his mind with staring at the alien while Bones did some scans. He had grown to be very  _ very  _ good looking. Olive toned skin, high cheekbones, slim build but still well muscled. He figured whatever job he had required some kind of fitness regimen. And he still had the same shiny bowl cut. Jim smiled sweetly at the memory of little alien Spock with his feathers all ruffled. Jim wondered if the alien had ever had a rebellious stage as a pimply teenager and grew out his hair. Jim shook his head mournfully.  _ Probably not,  _ but the image of a scruffy brooding Spock was definitely something that made him smile _.  _

Spock drew a shuddering breath knocking him out of his day dreaming. “Bones!”

“Settle down, he’s gonna be fine.” 

Jim blew an audible sigh of relief. “What’s the damage, Doc?”

“Well after what took a while turning off all the scanner’s diagnosis programming—“

“Why’d ya do that?”

“Because I can’t see past any of the damn warnings and exclamation points because the poor thing’s in a tizzy about your boy toy not being from this planet. I turned it all off so I could see into his body and extrapolate what I could from just being the genius I am. I know what a vascular system looks like without having a damned computer tellin’ me,” he took a drink of his beverage, the ice clinking against the glass. “And his heart’s in a different place!!! Next to where our livers would be! And his bones! They’re super dense and have this crazy microscopic structure that’s almost triangular!”

_ Like architecture, _ thought Jim.

“Anywho, he’s gonna be fine. His healing rate is ridiculously fast and he didn’t lose much blood before he already started clotting. How he survived reentry— well, I guess it’s actually just  _ entry—  _ into Earth’s atmosphere without getting boiled in his skin is beyond me,” he said shaking his head in amazement.

“What about his brain?”

“Like I said about his healing rate, I’m watching his cerebral swelling reduce as we speak. He’ll have a helluva headache and other concussion symptoms but nothing major. He’s gonna be completely covered in bruising and be very very sore but from what I can tell, your boyfriend’s gonna be A-okay.”

Jim breathed an audible sigh of relief.

“You can relax Jimbo,” said Bones. Jim could almost feel the man rubbing his hand across his back like a loving big brother before pushing his face away. He exhaled a long breath. “What’s the farm house’s address?”

“What?? Why?!”

“Because I’m coming to stay with you,” he grumbled like it was obvious. 

“No! It’s fine. I got this!” 

“Jim, you know I love you but I really don’t think you do,” Bones rubbed his hand across his stubble.

“You said he would be fine, didn’t you??”

“I’m not worried about you killin’ him! I’m worried about  _ him  _ killin’  _ you!” _

“He won’t! He wouldn’t do that!”

“What makes you so sure? You don’t know about his alien politics and behaviors! Hell, cultural differences that could end in him challenging you to a battle to the death!” Bones threw his hands in the air.

“Not to be cliche, but he wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, okay,” he said, layering on the sarcasm. 

“I’m serious!” Jim shouted in a whining tone before taking a breath to slip into his Speech and Debate voice. “When we met as kids, there were three others— adults who had every opportunity to hurt me or kidnap me, or whatever, but they didn’t.”

“Comforting.”

“And he’s wearing a necklace—“ he said before realizing he could just show Bones. He knelt and slowly shifted his hands under the Spock’s blood soaked uniform jacket to find the glass pendent. “He’s wearing a necklace he made out of the flower I gave when we were kids,” Jim gazed at the little dandelion lovingly. Jim could just picture that serious silly haired alien boy blushing at his gift. It must have really meant something to him for him to immortalize it and wear it all these years later. 

Bones cleared his throat gruffly, pulling Jim out of his reverie, “I dunno. It’s just that there’s this feeling in the back of my mind. I just know he’s okay. I can’t explain it. It’s like I know he’s here for me.” Bones gave him a bored expression.

“Not like here for  _ me.  _ He crashed here! I don’t think I was his mission,” he waved his hands wildly. “Plus! He doesn’t even have a weapon!”

“Ugh. You know what? Fine.’”

“YES!” Jim exclaimed, jumping into the air. 

“BUT! I have some conditions!”

“Noooooooooo!”

“You have to call or message me every night. And if you, or your alien—” he glared at Spock’s limp body in the corner. “—step out of line, I’ll know about it and so will the local authorities.”

“Uggghhhhhhhh!”

“Every night! Ya gotta it?!”

“Yeah okay bye!” And he hung up on the profanity shouting southerner who was turning a vicious shade of red.

Jim turned back to Spock and blew out a breath to try to calm his racing nerves. 

_ In. Out. In. Out.  _

_ Okay, okay. I know what to do. I’ve cleaned up plenty of drunk friends.  _

Jim knelt next to Spock and began cutting off his clothes starting with the uniform jacket. Sticky green blood made the thick material cling to the alien’s ashen skin. The whole process reminded Jim of trying to shimmy out of soaking wet clothes. Though the utility scissors did help tremendously. He cut up Spock’s jacket revealing red and orange bruising covering his torso— Science!

If iron-based blood (i.e. mammalian blood) is red when oxygenated, it would follow that copper-based blood would be green when oxygenated and orange when deoxygenated.

Jim had a momentary panic that Spock could be suffocating in this atmosphere before immediately remembering that he and the others didn’t have breathing apparatuses on the last time they visited. 

Jim continued cutting and trying not to get distracted by the toned body in front of him. 

Spock was not overly muscled but he did have some definition in those abs and pecks. He had dark hair dusting his chest that trailed down to the alien’s low slung waist band. Jim liked to imagine Spock dressed that way on purpose but he knew it was probably just from the wreck and all the moving around afterwards. And he had an abdominal V... 

_ Don’t get distracted! _

Cute nipples.

_ NO! _

Jim cut down Spock’s sleeves then pulled the alien forward to pull the ruined jacket out from underneath before setting him back down as gently as he could. Spock was ridiculously heavy and Jim struggled to keep from losing his grip and letting the alien’s head smack against the tiled wall. 

Jim looked down at the torn and bloodied pants.  _ Oh boy _ , he winced. He lifted his hand to run through his hair in exasperation before seeing how much blood was on it. He dropped his hand to his side with a loud groan to himself. 

Jim shifted down and started cutting down Spock’s pant leg with some difficulty. This material was a bit rougher and the seams were thicker than those on his jacket. While he worked he listened to the sound of Spock’s breathing; keeping an ear out for any irregularities. 

He wondered what Spock had been doing all these years. Not that he meant that Spock shouldn’t have been allowed a life after they met, but he was genuinely curious. What was it like to be a part of a society that could interact with other life forms— see new and exciting civilizations and worlds as often as only they could. Jim couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit envious. But maybe he could convince Spock to take him exploring one day. Like he dreamed about when he was a kid... and on into his adolescence... and adulthood if he’s being honest with himself.

As he grew up he tried not to feel so left behind. Some days were easier than others but sometimes Jim couldn’t help but feel like he wasn’t cut out for the life Spock must have been leading. 

When Earth finally makes contact (officially) with another extraterrestrial race, Jim worried they’d be far out of touch with the technological and social developments of that interstellar community. Would they be looked down upon? What if Spock’s people left them to their own devices after that encounter because they weren’t impressed by anything they had seen? 

Well, then Jim got a bit defensive. Spock’s landing party only saw a bit of farmland. They didn’t even get to see any of the big cities! Or even the Martian habitat bubbles or the Jupiter colonies! 

But now everything was different! His alien, his Spock, was sitting right in front of him!

Frankly, he was a bit annoyed with Spock. Jim had been searching for him for years and now that he was finally on his way, Spock decided to crash his ship into Jim’s backyard! Well at least Jim was getting to play knight in shining armor. And for the second time!

Jim gently pulled Spock’s boots off and marveled at the sexy black slim lines of all the alien’s clothes. His species must be really well dressed to make their uniforms look like  _ this _ . 

He left Spock’s underwear on, reserving  _ that part  _ for last. He got out the softest wash cloth he could find and filled a large bucket with water and set to work wiping away all the dirt and grime he could. 

It was painstaking work. Especially because he didn’t want to do Spock anymore damage by moving his head the wrong way while the alie had a concussion. The green blood caked in his ears and hair was a bit more tedious to clean and shampoo but Jim would be lying if he said it wasn’t satisfying to see all that shit wash down the drain. 

Jim breathed out a deep sigh. This all felt so surreal. Finally having him here. Water droplets hung on his dark eyelashes like shining tears and Jim was decidedly distracted. Spock’s eyebrows were immaculately trimmed and swept up. If Jim didn’t know Spock was an alien, he would have thought it to be a very cool fashion choice. Or maybe it was actually a fashion thing and this species naturally had eyebrows like humans? Jim worked his way down the Spock’s very good looking shoulders and pecs, then down each arm to his hands.

He held the alien’s wrist in one hand and rubbed the wet cloth down his fingers, in between them, and back up again. Repeating the motion to get all the grime off. Suddenly, Spock’s arm tensed. A chill went down Jim’s spine when he felt a pair of eyes on him. 

Jim’s head shot up to see big beautiful deep brown eyes staring him down. He knew he wasn’t doing anything particularly bad but he still felt like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. A vicious blush broke out across his face and down his neck. 

And to make matters fractionally worse, Jim wasn’t exactly sure if it was fondness he saw in Spock’s expression or apprehension or anything really. It was hard to tell. Not like when they were kids; it was like he could almost feel Spock’s emotions through their skin like it was a bridge connecting their minds.

The alien continued to stare deep into Jim’s eyes as his long slender fingers wrapped around his own hand. It was like all his nerves, every sense he had was zeroed in on the feel of their wet hands gently brushing the other. Pressing then pulling, harder then softer. Spock’s face was flushed green across his cheeks and Jim took that as a good thing. 

His eyes dropped to Spock’s mouth when a tiny gasp escaped his lips.  _ Shit! Am I hurting him?? FUCK! Was this okay for his people or race or whatever?! _ He pushed Spock’s hand back to him, “I’m so sorry!! I didn’t mean to— Are you okay!?” He asked, frantically waving his hands around. 

The alien just looked at him in confusion. Cocking his head to one side like a cat. Albeit sexy cat with water dripping sensually over his high cheekbones and down on to his lightly furred and muscled chest. Though his expression hadn’t changed much, his eyes looked so curious and almost a little hurt. Maybe by how quickly Jim had pulled back from him?

_ Oh jeeze,  _ he ran a hand through his hair. Language barrier. He needed to make sure Spock knew he wasn’t a threat. Jim figured he already kinda knew but he didn’t want to go making assumptions. 

So he held his hand out in that greeting he remembered Spock doing as a greeting when they were kids and again before he passed out. He took a deep breath and raised his hand, fingers in that V shape. “Hello, Spock,” he said, trying to reign in his nerves. 

Spock’s chocolate brown eyes widened marginally in what he hoped was pleasant surprise judging by the momentary quirk in the corner of his mouth. He too raised his hand in that V shape. 

“Dif-tor heh smusma,” he said, nodding his head slightly while maintaining eye contact. “Hello, Jim.” The human in question all but swooned at the sound of his name carried on the mellow timbre of Spock’s voice. His mouth went dry and a shiver went down his back. Which Spock  _ of course _ noticed and raised an amused eyebrow at, gently smirking at him. 

That playful look slowly melted into something more sincere and awestruck as his hand slowly drifted towards Jim’s face. He knew he probably should back away and the little Bones in his ears was screaming at him to do so, but Jim couldn’t help it. He had waited to meet him for so long. Almost giving up on Spock ever coming back of his accord. But here he was. And his hand was holding Jim’s face, thumb stroking softly across his cheek. He’d be embarrassed about the amount of stubble on his face if Spock wasn’t looking at him like he had been waiting his whole life to see Jim again. God, and that feeling was addicting. And fulfilling. He had always thought if (and that’s a big IF) the two of them met again, that Spock would have moved on. He had his hopes but he didn’t want to delude himself. But wow. This— fucking surreal. It filled him with the warm golden feeling that coated every nook and cranny of his soul. Like a warm drink poured into a cold glass. Steam billowing. 

Spock’s eyelids slowly started to droop. Jim was just about to start panicking before a little calming feeling pulsed in the back of his head. His hand shot to the back of his head in astonishment, remembering that same thing sensation all those years ago. Spock just gave him an amused smirk before nodding off again.

_ Okay, it seems that my alien boyfriend who I can’t speak to has slightly telepathic powers that he likes to tease me with.  _ Jim sighed, looking Spock over again. His lips were orangish and his skin was covered in goosebumps.  _ Shit _ , he’s probably cold. Jim couldn’t tell if it was because of the trauma of the crash, being nearly naked and wet, or if it was simply a biological difference for his species. He figured it was probably a combination of all three. 

But before he could dress him he needed to finish washing him down… which meant taking off his underwear. Jim had avoided it as long as he could but he couldn’t exactly put him in fresh clothing still wearing water and blood soaked underwear. Jim gulped at the trial ahead of him. 

He scrunched his eyes shut to preserve Spock’s modesty and gently rolled the ruined underclothes down from around the alien’s waist. He threw the garment into the corner with a loud wet slap and blindly grabbed for the shower hose. 

_ Okay Jimbo, you got this. Breathe in and out.  _ He lifted Spock’s leg closest to him and placed it on his shoulder so he could spray him down without having to touch the alien. Honestly, this isn’t the worst thing he’s had to do for an unconscious friend (alien boyfriend). There was this one time when he was at Berkeley that he and some friends had gone clubbing after a day of particularly horrendous finals and maybe they had over done it just a smidge. He had to carry Uhura home over his shoulders and then hosed her off after she had puked then shat in his shower. 

If she hadn’t remembered then he wouldn’t have said anything. He wasn’t a monster!!

But as it turned out, she retained all her memories from the previous night so he has absolutely been holding it over her head ever since. 

So this situation wasn’t exactly new but it wasn’t exactly teasing material. Jim then realized how frustratingly perfect Spock was!!! He had NOTHING Jim could possibly make fun of him for (in a cute romantic, if not slightly sexy way, ya know?). So here Jim was, spraying down a naked unconscious alien man while squatting as far away as he could while maintaining leg lifting distance whilst staring at the ceiling. 

_ Yes. This is normal.  _

With an exasperated sigh, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel from off the counter. Jim had fetched his mother’s hair dryer and his father’s pjs earlier to make this process at least a little bit easier. But not by much because Jim had somehow forgotten that Spock’s limp ass body weighed about as much as a goddamn car. He hauled the alien out of the wash area and onto a bench he had laid a towel on then set to work patting him dry before dressing Spock in the cotton pj pants. Which had the added benefit of being able to look at the alien so he could dry his hair. 

Again, nothing he hasn’t done before. There was a time Christine Chapel sported a very cute pixie cut and he used to style it for her. He was quite sad to see it go but she had moved on to a very chic and sporty bob so he couldn’t complain too much. 

So of course Jim was pleased with how shiny Spock’s hair had turned out. He was kinda excited to see if Spock liked it when he woke up. He bit his lip at the idea of Spock thanking him. But that’s being presumptuous! Jim shook the idea from his head before accidentally seeing his own reflection in the mirror above the work counter. 

Blood, sweat, dirt, and soot absolutely covered his whole body!  _ Shiiiiiiit.  _ And to make matters worse he had no idea when Spock was going to wake up and the house, although it was not a frat boy disaster, was definitely not at the bring-your-boyfriend-home level so he was going to have to clean everything.  _ Fuck! What if his race had super smell!??!?!  _ Jim groaned until it turned into a petulant yell. He knew he was probably overthinking it all but he had been waiting for this day for 20 goddamn years and he was not leaving anything up to chance. 

So Jim dragged Spock through the house by his dainty ass ankles then deposited him on the living room couch none too gently because frankly, Jim was ready for Spock to wake the fuck up and walk himself from room to room. He’d be surprised if the alien man didn’t wake up with bruising of Jim’s doing.

_Fuck,_ he was going to be sore in the morning. And not in the good way! His thighs, core, arms, and everything else were already so achy. He blew out a breath and looked around; books, papers, dirty dishes, and a great many coffee cups littered the first floor. Not too bad but not the best. Plus he still had to shower and shave and look hot but not too hot for when Spock woke up. 

_ Alright. Let’s do this.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!! Naartjie here!!! 
> 
> I have no idea how coherent the tail end of this chapter is so please let me know if there are any typos!! (Message me on Tumblr @nonsequitur-naartjie)
> 
> Okay, so I know math says Spock would actually be very light (around 60ish pounds) on Earth due to the gravity differential, but I thought it would be funnier if he was 3x heavier instead of 3x lighter!
> 
> And while we are on the topic of SCIENCE, I named Jim’s project leads after actual scientists!
> 
> Mary Jackson was an American mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and then went on to become the first black female engineer at NASA!
> 
> Dr. Miguel Alcubierre is Mexican theoretical physicist who designed a speculative warp drive based on his proposed solution to Einstein’s field equations in general relativity!!! Basically the ship wouldn’t propel itself at all!!! It would bend space-time and RIDE IT LIKE A MOTHERFUCKING SURFER ON A WAVE!!! WHAT THE FUCK THAT’S SO COOL!!! 
> 
> Watch this video if you are interest!! I’m going to be referencing that ship as the one Jim’s working on building. 
> 
> https://youtu.be/gHAaoTMrc3A
> 
> Happy reading my lovelies!!! 💕💕💕

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!! Welcome to my first fic EVER!! 
> 
> I’d personally like to thank best_mistake (@thebestdisappointment on Tumblr) for being my first beta ever <3 PLEASE GO READ THEIR SPIRK STUFF!!!!
> 
> And I’d also like to thank ASmileSuitsYou (@ill-leave-one-day on Tumblr) for kicking my ass about posting this!!! <3 PLEASE GO READ THEIR BAGGINSHIELD STUFF!!!!
> 
> This fic would have never been posted if it weren’t for these two lovely human beings!!!
> 
> PS!!! If you guys have any mandatory Human activities/experiences you think Jim should introduce Spock to, lemme know!!! I’d love some fresh inspiration for the chapters I’ve got in the works!!! I’ll try to have the next chapter up within a week!
> 
> Please come say hi on Tumblr (@nonsequitur_naartjie) and/or Twitter (@nappingnaartjie)!!!


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